I like to do everything “right.” I like to have it together – no matter what I might be doing. I like to think I can figure out or do just about anything. I want everyone to be happy.
You can see where this is leading, can’t you?
I’m not sure why it is so hard for me to see it…
I struggle with being imperfect, messing up, arriving late, and hurting others. I’m frustrated when I know I’m not good at something. And I’m miserable when I feel that I’ve let others down.
That’s not a good way to live – because those things happen all the time.
I am a broken, imperfect person.
We all are.
Imperfection is not such a bad thing – or so they say. Imperfection simply means that we are like everyone else. We need each other. And we need Jesus.
It also means that I need to learn to say that I am sorry (I’m still working on that), that I don’t know, or that something will have to wait. It means I need to give grace to myself, accept that I’m not great at everything, and ask for help from others.
Sometimes, there are things I can work on and improve. Other times, I need to admit the weak areas and ensure others help fill in my gaps.
And when I learn to do those things, I can give more grace and acceptance to others when their imperfections and brokenness inevitably affect me.
Right now, I feel a bit frustrated that I continue to be frustrated with this issue. This is not a new discovery for me. I have been in this battle against perfectionism for a long time. It just happened to noticeably raise its ugly head again recently.
That is part of the battle – that crazy-maker, relentless longing that holds on to that tiniest impossible delusion that I can actually beat this thing and get “better.”
And so, here I am – sharing my brokenness with you – hoping you might join me in this journey, acknowledge and embrace your brokenness – and give yourself grace. Maybe you will even accept my brokenness if it happens to bump up against yours occasionally.
May we give lots of grace to ourselves and each other.
How do you typically deal with your brokenness?
Image – Kintsugi pottery – A broken piece made more beautiful and valuable by filling the cracks with gold. (Credit: riho-kitagawa-JuDPjcutors-unsplash)
maturitas cafe 
Oh, my dear friend, broken finiteness is so frustrating! I don’t have the perfectionist tendencies that some of your words have, but I hate disappointing people, not being competent at what I think I should be competent in, and despising not knowing how to help others who need help. Limits are hard! And I fully agree that this battle is a crazy-maker. I, like you, can give grace to others more easily than I can accept it for myself. But I love that God knows our tendencies and smiles at our attempts like a parent watching a small child make another mistake because they haven’t learned the lesson yet. I needed this today. Thanks for your bold authenticity.
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Thanks for being my fan! You always encourage me with your comments – I know I have a soul sister in my audience. I much prefer to be on the journey with others. Thanks for keeping me company!
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